Hikkomi Houou
by Zodidj
Summary: After the wedding, and a quick divorce, Ranma finds himself alone, wandering japan, avoiding phone calls and wierd goddesses - * completed* there may be sequel later once I figure out where to go with it
1. Hikkomi Houou part 1

**Hikkomi****Houou** – Part 1 Avoiding phone calls. -**Corrected-**had some time related issues that needed to be fixed.

T_he__Greatest,__Bah'_ he thought to himself. He looked down and the slip of paper in his hand, and the out on the waters of the ocean speeding past him below. 'T_he__Great__Ranma__Sao__tome,__Grand__master__of__the__anything__goes__school__of__martial__arts,__failure__Extraordinaire_…'. The smell of the salt and spray permeated his nose, as the ship he was on sailed back to Japan, from Australia . ding ding went the bell, as the ship swayed from side to side. Turning back to the gangway, he went back to his cramped cabin to await the rest of his voyage.

His married life had been fast, that part is true. The marriage took place under cover of darkness, to keep the previous mess from happening, again. The chaos did not end of course, and the pain spread across the district. So much so that it was decided that for the time being, they would move, to try and be together alone. Steps were taken to ensure that everyone left them alone. And for a time, it worked. But not long. See it was Still Ranma, still the happy, flamboyant, and egotistical martial artist he is. Moving from Japan did nothing to change that. Sydney did nothing to change that. New martial arts techniques, new folks met, new master beaten, new flights on Akane-air, nothing changed but the scenery. The fights got worse and worse though they were becoming more and more one sided. Being married, she stopped pulling punches, and got things vicious. Nothing left to restrain them anymore you see. He started closing off more in response, to her anger, taking trips into the outback, to get away, coming back only to be assaulted again. It continued until he came home early and walked in on her, and a man, one whom he later found to be her divorce lawyer.

He looked down at the paperwork, finished in his hands. He was cold inside. All tapped out. He had not informed anyone he was returning to japan. Of course right then, his mother could ask him to committee seppuku, and he would not bat an eye. It takes desire for life to change these things. He had nothing left. 18 years old, and as far as he or the world was concerned, dead already.

High above his head, the Misery star twinkled, down on Ranma. As it had his whole life. If he knew this, he would not be surprised. It might even bring him some small comfort, as he would at least know why his life had become such a hell. And higher above that, a woman sat very still in front of a phone, waiting. The universe itself connected everything to that one phone, to make sure that heaven could act, when it chose too. Kami-sama himself had moved the file over, and placed him in the debt of heaven, but, Ranma decided to travel home by a phone less boat, rather than by plane like a normal person would have done.

"Home, whatever that is". The waves on his ship tossed slowly. As he steamed back to Japan. Oddly, in the hold, an unattached phone kept ringing, though Ranma never heard its ring. The sailors on the boat begin to think that their cargo is haunted, until one brave one throws the box with the phone over board.

Through it all, Ranma never notices the phone, nor would he have picked it up if he had.

Of all the types of stars in the universe, the Stars of Misery were the ones you least wanted to follow you. Morisato Keiichi had had one following him for years, until the timely intervention of a goddess, Belldandy, who protected him from the stars light. One would assume, that in the vast universe Kami-sama would only let one such star into being but, one be wrong. There are many, and each star has its own favorite beings to watch. Most but not all of these being mortal, but a few gods have been known to attract the attention of one of these stars. As each star moves through the universe, watching their chosen, sometimes they see a better person to watch. This occasionally leads to more than one star, following the poor sod around. In Ranma's case no less than 6 stars followed him, each bringing additional misery to his life. In all of the history of the universe, no one else has ever had to bear so much misery, for so long. Genma, Akane, Ryoga, Happosai, Ukyou all owe Ranma a debt of thanks for his assuming the burden of their misery. His life has proven this. In Each case, his presence lessened their misery, while increasing his own.

It was the light given by these stars that caused the chaos of his life. The lights all shown as one, the day he fought, and killed Saffron. In fact it was their lights joined that let Akane live, for nothing would cause him more misery, than her existence. The heavens noticed too, the strange conjunction of lights, and for all Loki wished it to stay hidden, Ranma's name became known to the heavens. Enough so that through general consent, his name was placed in the system, to be given a reprieve from his misery. But he would have to be willing to accept heavens help, once offered, and that may be the real problem.

Walking through the streets of Oura, he dwells in his own thoughts. All around him, Green and yellow phones seems to come to life, but go silent as soon as anyone goes to pick them up. He cannot notice, but more than one person see's the phones who are not supposed to ruing, seemly following him. One brave soul even tries to stop him, and tell him. Ranma ignores them, merely telling them to answer the phone if its ringing and leave him alone.

This scene of phones ringing at him, continues unabated from town to town as he makes his way towards Tokyo. The rainy season makes her travels harder, but she is barley able to notice that. She is going until she finds a place to stop, but her mind has nothing to direct her. She just travels on instinct.

Eventually, she walks up to a shrine, and rests there. No phones, as far as he can tell, just an old man, who is the priest, and the small but ornate shrine. She sits, here and waits under one of the tree's, having no will to move on.

'what was so wrong with me, why doesn't this get any better…' Ranma-onna thought to herself. 'its just one long unending pain, worse than anything Ryoga ever did to me. What was so wrong with me Akane…'. Suddenly as he thought that name her mind grew colder again, as she subconsciously kept pushing those memories, her memories from his mind.

For two days she stays here, sitting in the courtyard, and the old man watches. On the third morning, the old man comes up to her.

"if your going to stay, you must work" he says handing her a broom. The old man looks at her, expecting something

"…." She begins to sweep, in the rain. In a moment the priest returns with another broom, and they sweep together in the sounds of the gentle rain. Three days she has been here, and only after sweeping in this rain, with the strange old priest that she looks up and see's the name of the shrine she is at, one of the Hikawa shrines.

Inside of the buildings a phone rings. And the black-haired granddaughter of the priest picks up the phone

"Yes?…. No, there is no Ranma here, you have the wrong number."

At the phone still, Skuld sat dumbfounded. She was stuck on this assignment, till she could complete it. It was not unknown for assignments to take along time to finish, I mean look at Belldandy's assignment, But take a long time to START? It had been a long time since a Direct visitation was called for, and she was about ready to just take matters into her own hands, when on the screen near her, came a summons to Peorth's office.

She knocked on Peorth's office door. The door slide open, with Peorth sitting and screen's dancing around her face, she waves them away a moment. "Skuld, your Assignment has been escalated. You are so ordered to try a direct intervention." Peorth did not look happy about this. She had not had to send someone directly, to present a wish in some time, and she didn't like sending Skuld, with her history with the male gender, into this situation with Ranma Saotome of all folks. Her file from when he was a Saotome was immense, and Skuld had every possibility of screwing this one up. But Belldandy was still on assignment, and she shuddered to think what Urd's solution to Ranma's problems would be. "Skuld, it's Very important you treat this case with sensitivity. He has been abused by females badly, and never learned how to properly communicate with anyone. I know how you feel about Perverts, but just take time to read his file, and understand your charge before judging him. And DO NOT HIT HIM!"

"Of course I will be, I always do my best" she said happily. She was glad to be getting to DO something rather than wait in front the phone. She was also a little hurt that Peorth would think that anything would ever cause her to hit a charge. Skuld would never even Consider that….

The old man shuffles her inside, and tells his granddaughter that they would be helping the young woman who had sat outside the past few days. His granddaughter was a little incensed that her perverted grandfather was in her mind "Taking advantage" of this girl, and swore to do something about it. But he told her to wait, that anyone who looked as empty as she did, needed space and time, before being pushed too much. The priest then lead Ranma-onna from the main hall, and showed her to a guest room.

"My granddaughter will show you to the bath, She thinks I am too perverted to allow me to take you there.

Ranma just looks at him, not saying a word. Something in her eyes however bothers the old man, and he seeks refuge in the main temple. His own foresight he would use to try and dissect some of her secrets.

Ranma still sat, staring at a mirror in the room. She had been here for awhile, moping. She was not trying to be narcissistic, she was trying to see what it was, like what part of her that was so offensive. What part that she needed to remove. He said a girl would show her to the bath. That nagging thought about a bath kept popping into her head. "something is bad in this thought Something I haven't said yet." Still too wrapped up in her thoughts about Akane, to remember the obvious, and perhaps some part of her mind WANTING the pain that was sure to follow, she got up and walked to the door. Ranma could sense the presence of the girl, who came to take him to the baths. The girl greeted her, but she did not say anything in return, still wrapped in that black cloud. Anger is rapidly replaced by concern, as the granddaughter realizes now just what her grandfather meant. "she needs some serious healing…" the granddaughter thinks to herself. She can sense the waves of blackness coming off of Ranma in a wave, and starts to feel pity for her. The granddaughter silently leads Ranma to the baths, and leaves her to go in alone. Ranma stops a moment and turns to her, realizing that the one thing he must do is explain first.

"Wait", She says to the granddaughter.

"Yes, is there something you need?" reply's the raven-haired girl. Ranma still had not completely focused on her, but has learned over the years that he must be upfront on this.

"I have to tell you that I am cursed. I change sex's in water. I understand your trying to be kind, but, I don't want to bother you any more than I already have." She looks at the ground" I can just leave now, and not bother you anymore."

The granddaughter is dumbfounded. Its not like she has an option to NOT believe in curses, or magic. She has seen strange enough things from her friends, and in the temple. What she did know is that this girl who was trying to leave needed help. She also knew that something had happened to her, and that letting her leave would kill any normal person. She had no idea just how "un-normal" Ranma was. She looked at Ranma and said "Tell me that your not a demon, or youma, and I will let you take that bath anyway."

"I am not a youma, or demon, I am just a cursed man, cursed in every way imaginable"

"Well, then a bath at a shrine will do you good. Maybe it can cure you" she said brightly, pushing Ranma into the bath again. Ranma just blinked and for a moment saw this girl who was trying very hard to be nice to her. "thank you.. uhmm, I don't know your name

She sighed, since she HAD introduced herself just a few minutes before. 'Wow he IS out of it' she thought.

"My name is Rei", She told him.

"ohh sorry, My name is Ranma" Rei's mind clicked to the weird person who kept calling for a 'Ranma' "Hey Ranma does anyone else know you're here?"…

Ranma shook her head and finally turned back to the bath door..

Ranma entered the bath and she stripped and just lowered herself into the bath. The bath felt warm, and comforting, his change came without notice, he steeped in the warm bath, and let the silence of the bath, mirror his soul. No thoughts entered his mind, just silence. He almost drifts off to sleep, when he notices the water growing brighter, glowing, more and more brilliant, until he could see the face of long black hair, surrounding a very cute face, with odd tattoos, pushing itself up through the water, attached to a girl, who while she is leaving her pool, realizes that she shares it with a Very nude man. Shock, embarrassment and then Rage pass over her face as she jumps out of the water with a cry of "HENTAI!" and turns away from him blushing. Out of nowhere her BugZapper 2000 appears, but before she can turn to strike him she hears

"uhmm Sorry about this, but I was taking a bath. Do you mind?"

She blanches as she realizes what she has done….

And high above them one star above him, the one he inherited from Akane, loses touch with Ranma, and looks for a new target….

End chapter one


	2. Hikkomi Houou part 2

Standard disclaimers ect…

And answers to reviews at bottom.

As Skuld felt the full force of her mental connection to her charge, she realized two very important things. First, She had never felt such a strong sense of emptiness as a force than she felt from Ranma, and second, perhaps just Skimming the record on Ranma was not the best plan. She KNEW she had read something about him being walked in on a lot, in the baths, but did not think for a second that this was possible where a goddess was concerned. I mean, She was a Goddess, she was immune to such petty things, at least until she screwed up enough like Urd did. But there she was, Face a crimson red, her BugZapper 2000 Mallet in her hands, screaming "HENTAI!" at the one person she was supposed to help.

In the back of her mind she also realized that using said mallet, would perhaps be a Bad Idea ™ and perhaps she should rethink that some. While this mental debate raged in her mind, Ranma looked at the young goddess, not really even surprised that she was there. It had been weeks, so he was do for someone to show up and hurt him, some female anyway. He had thought it was going to be Rei-san, since she was, here, and that usually was enough to lead to beating up Ranma. Everything always leads to beating up Ranma. "If your going to hit me with that, Please let me go outside first, so I do not destroy the shrine", he said with a great weight in his voice.

"Eep, I am so very sorry, So sorry. I should never have done that, I should have checked before using that gateway IAMSkuldiamnotgoingtohityou" she rambled hastily hiding her mallet, and turning around. Taking a deep breath to calm her self she started to talk "Hi, I am Sku…." "

"Excuse me, I am in the Bath. Can this wait until I am done and out of the bath?" Ranma interrupted her. His face showed no expression at all, even his eyes, were like dark holes in his head. Skuld was also having problems dealing with the link, its supposed to help the goddess see the true intent of the wish, but this was just making her mind feel like it was falling into an abyss, sorrow, and self loathing, to cover a deep and abiding rage. An all consuming rage, that if it ever got out, even Mara-baka would be impressed. Or terrified, She was not sure which.

" I am sorry, Ranma, Of course, I should have better manners. I will wait for you in the main hall", she said at him, looking at the floor and taking her leave.

Ranma went back to soaking in the tub. The water was warm, and for lack of a better term Perfect. Some part of him did feel that the waters could purify him. He glanced at he surface of the water, seeing his own reflection, and then did not move for a long time.

Skuld entered the main hall, and sat waiting. She had not yet gotten a start, so she remained visible only to Ranma himself. She moped waiting. She had almost REALLY screwed this up. As she got farther from Ranma, she could feel him less and less. Which was good, because she is not equipped to deal with this level of pain. In fact the one thing she noticed was, contrary to how things were supposed to go, she could get no discernable thought when she was near him other than the abiding pain he felt. It overwhelmed the rest of his thoughts, driving them out and masking them completely. It started to make her head hurt, thinking about this. Half an hour later, and she was still sitting there. No sign of Ranma, just the dull throb of his pain in her head. Her pager vibrated a few times and she called up looking to see what Peorth-san wanted. "Hi Peorth….. No, I am still waiting to tell him about it… well .. hum …about that, see, he was in the bath when I arrived… NO I DID NOT HIT him…yeah, he didn't seemed very surprised to see me though…. Ohh one of thing, the connection is all weird, I cant get any thoughts from him…. No I feel him, but all I get is massive amounts of pain, and rage…. Yeah, its like he is a demon, only well, human….he has been in there along time, I better go see if he is decent… Bye bye!"

Skuld walked back to the bathroom, but looking around it found it empty, angry at this, but still being very quiet, she wandered the shrine, till she found Ranma, sleeping in his room. Here she saw a different side of him. He was at peace, relaxed and for lack of anything any better to describe it, he was beautiful. She knew gods who were not as handsome. Without the pain lines etching his face, he looked serene, and she could suddenly understand why his file talked about so many women. On looks alone, if he were happy, it seemed he would make a good god. Then Skuld realized what she was thinking, and blushed brightly, moving to the edge of the room. She sat quietly, against the wall, waiting for him to wake up.

Ranma was awake, but still just could not bring himself to find out what she wanted. It takes effort to talk, to someone, who may mallet you for any reason. It's not the malletting itself he was afraid of either. It was the affirmation of the world that everyone really was out to hurt him. He knew this inside. No matter what else, everyone could and would tear his heart out, given the chance. So it was easier to lay here, and pretend to sleep. He lay there, with his eyes closed, not thinking, or feeling anything, just being. The way he had done every night, every day, since he found Her with her new lover. Sleep, really could not come to him, but he could rest, stop moving his body, and stop pretending to be alive.

Skuld watched him, further, and in a flash of brilliance, used what little magic she possessed, to in her mind deepen his sleep, make it more restful than it would have been. The actual effect on Ranma, was for the first day, since he walked in on Akane having sex with her lawyer, he fell into a deep, true and really restful sleep. She resolved that as soon as possible she would read that entire file, because she had this sinking suspicion she was in over her head.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the main shrine, Grandpa Hino sat in meditation. In front of him, a circle glows softly in a green light. He chanted to himself, drawing on something that would soon revolt his granddaughter, a Shinto priest seeking information of the dead. His granddaughter had many abilities and gifts, but she did not yet understand the full powers of her creed. A figure came into being in front of him, a tall woman, who in another area also bore the name of Hino. In fact were it not for one large point, she looked very much like Rei herself, though older. Her eye were different, Missing in fact. It looked as if she had them removed, with the blood running down her face. She cried out and staggered a bit.

"Shhh Grandmother, Shhh… I need you to see what you can see, and tell me of the woman who sit and bathes here now. She seems, odd, cursed in fact"

Ohh you have called me again grandson,, but I tell you this, that is no woman. He is a boy, who bears the curses of the stars over him. In this instant, he has returned to being a boy"

'Well I guess that is why I had no attraction to her' the thinks "Is he a threat to our family?"

"depends on your definition of threat. He could well be a threat to your granddaughter's heart.."

"That is not what I am talking about, what do you see…" He chants under his breath because he knows while she is family, she is also twisted and evil in her own right. She is worthy of respect, but not to de trifled with. She was a part of his familys darker past.

"I see, that storms will follow him, and perhaps even wars. But he is no more reasonable for them than Rei-chan is. Even if she is not the one destined for him, he will cause much strife. He will also cause much good, if he will accept heavens blessing. Kami or Demon, that is his Fate. And you my young grandson, get to be a part of that choosing…"

"great.." he sighed "another huge test… As if Rei and her 'Secret' was not bad enough"

"be ready young one. A Kami already has taken up residence, to try and comfort him. Your behavior should be on its best, unless you seek to join me…"

HE sighed again, and started his chant to return her to her normal resting place, when he heard the gasp of his granddaughter, who was looking terrified at the ghost before her.

"uhmm Rei-chan, I think I need to explain something…."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With a start, Ranma woke up. This struck him as odd, because he had fallen asleep. With that strange girl in his room. The weird one who did not hit him, glomp him, try and poison him or try to marry him. Rei-san didn't count, She had only just met him as as far as he knew didn't have any stupid engagement. But she well, had appeared in his bathroom, literally. He thought about that for a second, without realizing that this was the most coherent thoughts he had been having in a few weeks. IT would not last of course, but it was amazing the difference to the mind a really deep healing sleep can do. Especially augmented by what minor healing abilities Skuld possessed. This line of thought continued as he stood up, not realizing he was nude. Skuld who had been watching him Certainly realized it, and turning bright and crimson red, she quickly turned around facing the wall. This made Ranma notice her as a person perhaps really for the first time.

"Excuse me, But can I help you?." He stated to her.

"Uhmm. Yes, I am Skuld, with the Goddess helpline, and you have been selected to be granted a wish, by the Kami-Sama." She said, talking to the wall.

"A what? And why are you not looking at me."

"Well, you are not wearing anything, and…. Uhmm… I should not be looking at you like this".

"Ohh" he quickly dressed, "I am decent now" Normally he would have cared a lot more about this, being nude in front of a female after all it would generally lead to either malletting, glomping or both. But he just could not summon enough of himself to fully care. Even though he knew she carried a mallet, and would probably knock him into the air, just for fun, he just could not care.

Skuld turned around. He looked at her, she was very cute, her markings on her face made her look more attractive not less so. But, thinking of that, got him thinking about Akane, and his mind closed off again, to where he was the day before. Blank.

Skuld had Felt him thinking. She blush a bit when she felt him think she was cute, then the image of another girl came into his mind, and it shut down again. She had very carefully red his file the night before.

"Ranma, I am here to grant you a wish. Anything you want, the universe will get for you."

"a wish?"

"yes a wish, One wish and the Kami's will make it happen"

"a wish?"

"yes" she smiled. She still could not feel anything but pain from him. When she pushed she could still feel the rage. Nothing really had changed, other than that brief moment when she could feel the little boy inside of all of that darkness.

"No"

"what?"

"no wishes. No more magic, nothing good Ever comes from magic, or wishing, or wanting things." He rolled over and turned his back to her, shutting her out.

Skuld sighed deeply. So much pain, and she had No idea what to do if he was unwilling to accept the wish

Skuld picked the phone up and called in

"Peorth, this is a dud. He will not take a wish….. No I mean no way, I cant ever read one from his mind, too much pain…. No its awful, its like nothing I have ever seen before… Its like having to drink 3 or 4 of Urd-baka's love potions…..ok, I will wait" She hummed to herself, thinking about he much she wanted to start looking for panda shaped bugs "yeah, I am here….. What?... Father is not kidding me is he?... ok, ok, I get it… I have to stay, until he is able to make a wish… got it….. Can I at least turn the link off?... WHAT? No please… ask him not to…" she dropped the phone suddenly, as her link intensified, and she was suddenly REALLY able to share his thoughts, and to some extent he could share hers.

High above Kami-Sama felt sorry for Skuld, but as far as he could tell, increasing the link, making her be able to work on his problems with him, in his mind where he could not run, may be the only way to save him. Ranma needed to be saved. He deserved that.

On the futon, Ranma Twitched, as the link formalized in his head and he could feel the mind of his watcher entwine with his own. The despair he felt did not lessen Just grew more clear as he now could not just feel it, but observe it from the connection. He shut somewhat more down, because of the facing of it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Reviews

georgiaboy Yes this is going to be a fairly complete rewrite. Aio-chan will not be making an appearance, as Aio was not anything other than a backdrop. Just like I don't think Nabiki will be returning either. Ukyou will be since she is easy to move anywhere, but Nabs needs a reason to do anything. This will proboly be a skuld/insert a senshi name here pairing.

Yo ME too. Odd thing about that muse, its only if I am feeling good that she appears. Though my wife gets annoyed when I disappear to go write ;)

????? if its my OTHER story I can understand why its similar, since it's a rewrite of Sakuraba ½ I did say on the intro that I was rewriting it ;). If its something else, I don't know. I had not touched my writing for the last two years or so, so don't know what's out now.


	3. Hikkomi Houou part 3

Standard disclaimers. Also revised to fix a glaring problem pointed out by a reader.

Chapter 3

Sometimes even Kami-Sama has regrets about the choices he makes. It was needed, and there really was no other way to do it, but it still worried him. Skuld was being asked to take a tremendous risk, in her attempts to help Ranma.

When you live your life, you experience it. It happens to you, you put the walls in place to deal with life's failures, fears, and follies. Betrayals, lies all of those things that cause you pain, you learn to handle, because you go through them as they happen. There are those few rare souls that can read others, so well, that in a moment, all that the person has been is dumped into the head of the psychic. Generally these folks go mad. Its better for them anyway. In this moment, Skuld and Ranma shared a total link. Everything the one knew, the other knew as well, All at once, A blinding dump of information. Gods and goddess's are made of sterner stuff than normal humans but Ranma is anything but normal. All of the information he gets, of the ways that the universe works, washes over him. Its still here, but he doesn't really comprehend much of it. And if anything he can Cope with new things. Its what he does.

Skuld on the other hand, is a young goddess, new to her task's, and she is taking all of what has happened to Ranma into her all at once. Imagine if you can, the assumption of living through the Neko-ken training, while the "let be friends" is played in your mind, with the table, and abuse of two years, and waving goodbye to Uc-chan, your only friend, while finding you have her hurt for 10 years, while finding that Uc-Chan is in fact a girl. All while you are fighting Saffron, to save the one you love from death, while she is sleeping with her lawyer and you watch.

That is the mess Skuld's mind has to cope with this instant. She has to reign it all in. She is a goddess, she can handle this. She knows she can handle it. Yes… she can handle it… she thinks, as blackness totally consumes her. But even unconsciousness cannot stop the memories that are now hers, and the pain that she must share. Ranma feels her pain, in response to his, and a sort of feedback loop is started, until unconsciousness claims him as well.

Unfortunately, This causes her to become visible, as she falls to the ground, on his futon.

In the center of everyone's mind is a spot, where someone feels the most at home. For Skuld, it's a spot under a tree in heaven, for Ranma, It's a spot near a bridge that he used to play with Uc-chan. And here, the inner Ranma, met the inner Skuld, under a tree, by a bridge, in their joined minds. Here he is free from the demons that await in the outer ranges of his mind. He is younger, back at the time he was last happy. He is un-cursed, and uncaring of anything that happens outside of his walls. He is a happy boy, good at the art, and still has the love that the Kami granted to him at birth. Skuld is very much like she is now, But, the opposite. She is the grown up Skuld, the fully developed goddess. She is the image of what she wishes to be. She is free from her own doubts, about how much better her older sisters are, or if her inventions are good enough, when compared to the magic that Urd wields. These are the images that they really wish to be in this instant.

In the end though, while sharing this space, one must be dominant, and the dominant mind here is Ranma's. Its his pain, and fears that drive them. He depression that is calling this dance. Skuld does not know just how dangerous this position would be for her, if he turned on her. Trapped in anyone else's mind is a dangerous place to be.

Ranma looks around, and sits, playing with a push-cart that Uc-Chan had. He ignores Skuld all together. He knows that she is part of the darkness that is outside his bubble. Maybe if he ignores her she will go away. She looks at him, and realizes that whatever this melding was it was not total. There was a part of each of them, still held in reserve. For him it was his childhood before the Neko-ken. That was his, and his alone. For her, it was the knowledge of what she was to become. Though was not yet. The dream she had, of who to become. These parts were separate, and from that separation perhaps she could work with the Ranma.

"Ranma, what are you doing" she crouches down to be at his level

"Nothing" he replies pushing the cart.

"That is a nice cart"

"Its Ucchan's. he gave it to me."

"Where is Ucchan, Ranma?"

"Out there" Chibi-Ranma pointed at the walls that lined the space that they existed in. swirling darkness surrounded the place they were in. if you examine it closely you could see images of things from both of their minds happening. More so from Ranma's life, than Skuld's.

"What is out there?"

"Bad things."

Skuld spent some time pushing the toy cart with Chibi-Ranma, until he got bored of that. She spent time quietly playing with him, as he went from a ball to play catch with, to games he had as a younger child at home. She talked of meaningless things, with him, as he grew to talk to her more. In their minds, much time had passed, days weeks past, they get used to each other, comfortable. But still neither is closer to moving to the outside, through that massive storm of darkness that sits on the edges of the known world. She brings him games she knew, teaches him the proper technique of bug smashing, and how to fly. However, in the back of her mind, she knows she must take the lead. Its her job, she must lead him out.

"Ranma, Its time for us to go back."

"Why?"

"Would it be bad to never learn any new arts?"

"Yes, but cant you teach me?"

"Not all of them. Would it be bad to never see your mother again? Or Ucchan?"

"Yes, I want to see mommy again and Ucchan"

"You have to walk out there to see them again."

"Don't Wanna"

"Why not?"

"Bad things in there. Bad people out there. Safer in here."

"Are you afraid Ranma?"

"NO! I just… don't want to."

"Ranma, It's ok to be afraid."

"No its not. Men are not afraid. I am a man."

"Is your father afraid of anything?"

"Uhmm Nope! Because he is a man"

"What about your mother. Isn't he afraid of her?"

"Well, yeah I guess, but that's Mommy."

"Think a sec, Ranma. What is your father REALLY afraid of… Really"

Chibi-Ranma ponders this a bit "Not Eating Dinner, he is really afraid of that"

"Does that make him not a man?"

"No my Daddy is a man."

"Then men can be afraid right?"

"I guess so, Daddy always steals food because he is afraid of not eating."

"He fights against his fears. "

"But not mommy. He runs from her"

"But you don't run form her, you want to see her"

"Yeah"

"We can go there, but you have to trust me, and hold my hand as we go."

"Are we going out there?" Chibi-Ranma looks at the storm.

"Yes, we are going to go through that. But your not alone, I am with you."

"Ok… But you have to promise not to let me be alone there. Promise?" She takes his hand, "I promise Ranma, I will not let you be alone in the in that storm."

A light glows from her for a moment, and she realizes what she has done. She has bound herself to him, for as long as he lives, she will always make sure he is not alone, to face the world. This is NOT what she had in mind starting this conversation. But if it's the only way she will ever get him out of here… Well, Kami-sama would not like it if her charge went insane in response to being given the wish. She walked with him into the storm to face the demons that lay there.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grandpa Hino was sore. Rei's response to learning that their family were Shinto priests of old, and what that MEANT was a little painful. She can still see her horror when he described some of the things Hino's had done in the past, and why it was so important for them to keep their ancestors from effecting the lives of the living. Rei was very unhappy with all of this and had run off, apparently to go talk to her friends. He decided he needed to check on Ranma, so walked to the room he put her up in.

As he entered, he saw a very passed out Ranma, who was now male, and strangely enough, a younger female, with weird tattoos on her face, passed out as well. "Uhmm…, Wow" the girl was a little young for him to grope, so he examined her a bit, and then his grandmothers words came back to haunt him "A Kami has already come to comfort him…" Grandpa Hino shuddered and decided that groping her would be a BAD IDEA ™. He tried to wake Ranma up, no luck and tried to shake the girl, gently. Again no luck. He left them, and came back a few hours later, Still no luck. Rei had not returned yet either.

"Well shoot, I probably better try and call a Doctor to see if anything serious is wrong with them…"

He went into his room, picked up the phone and dialed what he thought was a normal doctor. Of course, with all of this insanity, he did not in fact GET a regular doctor…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There are the demons that push us the most. These are the demons that we try the hardest to forget. And who's demons must be faced first, the first one to grab you of course. The ones that are leaving you alone, those are easier. The problems of being in a world of dreams, of nightmares really is that the nightmares often control the dream, and only by waking up, in parts are you able to control it. If Skuld faced her worst fear first, would she be able, and strong enough to lead Chibi-Ranma out? She was expecting to deal with his issues first, but instead, as the winds died down, She stood, hand in hand with Ranma, facing the shrine. This is the home of her sister, Bell dandy, and Urd. Standing before her is her sister, Urd, standing tall over her, impossibly tall, looking down on her, haughtily.

"Well, Well, Well, what have we here, Little Skuld has a boyfriend?" Skuld looked at herself, and she too was a Chibi, younger, even Ranma at 6 was older than her. "you will NEVER grow up Skuld,. In fact, I will make sure of it" Oni-Urd pulls out a bubbling green liquid, in a glad bottle, and starts moving for Chibi-Skuld. Ranma moves protectively in front of Skuld, "leave her alone!" he cries. Oni-Urd just looks at him, and leers "I will break you properly later boy, first I must destroy my little sister, I AM a demon after all" with this, her form changes, shifting, becoming more demonic. The goddess marks shift to make that of the demon named Mara. Oni-Urd again starts moving and reaching for Chibi-Skuld. She tries to pull her mallet out of magic-space ™ but all she gets is an Acme Mallet-sama 400, with real self blow up action, deflated. Urd missed as she reached for the scrambling back Skuld. Ranma see all of this and laughs. "an almost crying Chibi-Skuld yells at him "what is so funny!"

"Well all of it" laughs Ranma. She is a funny Old lady… "OLD!" the Oni yells at Ranma, changing targets and swinging to grab Ranma. "Yeah yah old bag… Old… like a mummy, and not mine either " Sticking his tongue out and going Biih deh. "I am surprised someone of your age can move that fast. I mean you look like you mid 40's or so. And Chubby.. you gotta eat less or folks will confuse you with a hypo."

As each insult comes, Oni-Urd gets smaller and smaller, until finally she's a mini-Oni-Urd, jumping up and down and screaming. "GET BACK DOWN THERE SKULD AND DRINK MY POTION" screamed the miniature demoness. At this point, Even Skuld started giggling. Like many times when you're really afraid, its all you can do once you start laughing to stop, and she was rolling on the floor, laughing at the mini-Urd. She stops whipped the tears form her now adult again eyes, and she realizes that she is back to what she was here. With a "hurmph" the Mini-Urd disappears. And the area they are in folds back into the storms…

When the area completes its fold, Ranma and Skuld continue their walk, on the path in Ranma's mind. But Ranma is a little older, and Skuld a little younger. Part of their dream selves, has given away, for the reality of who they are, but overcoming this fear.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rei was sick to her stomach. Her ancestors sacrificed each other to guard the gates of hells? Her ancestors were restless dead? Her grandfather summoned them up? What did this all mean. She didn't go to Usagi for advice this time, it was the kind of problem. She wandered around for hours, until she found herself outside of Setsuna's house. "yeah she scares the living daylights out of me, but she is the best one to talk too" Rei walked up and rang the bell

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The mists part again, and a new scene opens up. Its cramped. And Chibi-Ranma is curled into a ball, not moving, being totally silent. Skuld stoops next to him, "what's wrong"

"shh, its going to come back,"

"what is Ranma"

"the Beast" if I wait here, eventually it may not come back, and then I can rest forever"

She looks around the cramped underground pit she is in. the smell of urine, feces, and something vaguely Fishy permeates the air. She moves her foot slightly, and it squishes in something very much like fecal matter, or animal guts.

"Its coming back… Its going to hurt me again"

"its ok, Ranma, your not alone I am with you I will stop it."

"no one can stop it. Ever. Sometimes it lets me be while it feeds."

"shh its ok" she puts her hand on his shoulder, and feels him silent sob, as a noise is coming form the darkness beyond.

"Rwwoanma…. Brooowy…. Rwooorthless…. Beoooowy….." she heard being spoken in the darkness. It was an odd voice, a great humanish sound along with a cattish sound. Out of the darkness she could see a great lumbering shape. It was a Huge cat, in a girly smelly Gi. A Fat one, head wrap, and claws that were longer than Chibi-Ranma's arms. "Trainings you must have Trainings.." the beast bellowed. Ranma cowered behind Skuld. She realized what this fear was. What the Neko-Ken was. Fear, of failure, fear of the cats, but more fear of failure a young boy had from his father. He BECAME the demon that haunted Ranma's soul. The cats, are a part of it, but, this is the beast that enslaved the love Ranma had for everyone else. He sees dragging behind it, the body of a small child. "Come onnnes Rwaaanmaah, Come trains with your little Uihhchannn…" he throws the mangled body of Chibi-Ukyo at Ranma's feet. The head swivels a bit, one dead eye lolling up to look at him, "Help me get as good as you are Ranma. Don't let it hurt me anymore" Ranma again curls up into a ball and shakes. Skuld holds on to Ranma's shoulder, and pushes Back on the Genma-Neko, Hard. It moves slightly, but not much. "whhhat you doing here Giiihrl…" The beast looks at Skuld. "Booohy brwwwing a New training partner withhhh hihmm" The Neko-ma grabs Skuld and throws her into the pit wall. She lands in the torn bones, and feels a sharp bone enter her side. Blood, She is not experienced with blood, The Neko beast jumped her again. Scratching her arms, then grabing her and tossing her again. Skuld screamed, as she flew through the air, feeling her left arm snap as she hit the wall. The Genma-neko Stands over her, laughing at her "foooowlish Woman…. You cannot defeat us…. We are the ultimate fighter…. We aaarhh the Besst…" the Neko-beast laughed. Ranma could hear her whimpering, could feel the broken bones, and pain, and the fear in her heart. The duty of a martial artist is to protect the weak. Even against the worst of demons, even against his father. No matter how scared he was he must act. "Stop" he said weakly.

"Soon I shawll Fweast on your bones, and bring him your head to play with…"

"Stop!" he said louder.

"Your skills are no match for my Power…. Girl…"

Skuld in her broken state finally realizes in truth that this is HIS mind, not hers She could fight against her fears, but his… She could not touch. She needed him to make it though here, else she would be trapped here forever or worse.

A roar come from Ranma, as he yells, and jumps at the beast. As he flies through the air, his adult form is taken, his battle aura grows around him, and he throws one massive punch at the beast. The Beast Turns around, surprised on his face, as Ranma pays no attention to its cat form, and just attacks with all of his fury he can manage. "I HATE YOU, AND YOU MUST DIE!" he throws a multitude of punches into the cat-beast, as each one hits, a part of the beast dissolves, leaving nothing behind. He continues to pound into the ground repeating "I hate you, I hate you" over and over, creating an indentation in the ground, until a hand is placed on his shoulder, and he looks up to Skuld, who has been healed of her wounds, looking down on him with compassion in her eyes. She understood now that she could not defeat his demons for him. He needed too. And that each demon was different. "Let leave here, Ranma, this too is only a dream". Chibi-Ranma wipes away the tears that have been falling from his face, as he pounded the group, and takes her hand again. Together they move farther and again he ages, and she comes closer to her own age.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grandpa Hino finished talking to the Doctor, and hung the phone up

"well for a doctor she certainly sounds cute"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A young Ranma, no longer Chibi and A young Urd, only slightly older than he, Walk into a school. Two figures stand there, a hulking woman with shifting face, and form, and a Very skimpily clad woman, who also had a body and face that shifted constantly. At one second you would see Akane's face, on one body and Ukyou's on the other, the next Asusa and Hinako's always shifting from girl to girl and woman to woman. They ran at Ranma, one yelling at him and attacking, the other trying to grab him into a glomp.

"Pervert" screamed one as it swung at him holding a telephone pole.

"Lover!" cooed the other as it tried to strip Ranma right there.

Skuld was horrified, seeing the fear that the stories in the file had shown her. This was another of his great fears, faceless women both throwing themselves at him, and attacking him.

Rnama shook as he could not respond. One would strike him the other would then try and hug him and the cycle would start again. He slowly curled into a ball as if he was finally given up

"Ranma fight back against them"

"I cant. I cant hit a woman"

"Ranma, they are not women. This is your fear,"

Ranma made no move towards doing anything still

"Ranma please don't lose us both here." Skuld was starting to be unable to move. His mind was giving in here, and she felt powerless to do anything. As he continued to be abused, she saw that a covering was forming around her legs and she knew that soon she would be trapped her.

"please Ranma, help me.. I am being trapped in your fear"

Ranma looks and saw that she was being covered by some strange substance and two feelings in his mind warred. One that you never hit a woman the other that you must protect those weaker who cant. Back and forth, until he realizes something else. He never loses when it counts, and it counts here. Again, he grew a bit, and turned to strike the forms that assaulted him.

"I am not afraid of you" Kick" I am not afraid of any of you" Punch "I am better than you "punt, and he kicks the hulking female out of the dream world. The nympho moves up to him call "darling!" and he grabs her, and throws her out as well. Ranma goes over and pulls Skuld out of the cocoon.

He faces the spinning chaos outside of his immediate area, and yells "You don't scare me anymore"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rei sat sipping tea with Setsuna, and digested what she had been told. True that she came from a line of sick priests, but also true that she was reincarnated into this family for a reason. She had her Ki powers for a reason. And perhaps she would need to call on the dead as well. Nothing was done by chance in this, to ensure that the great city would come.

Setsuna looked at her, and said "also, we are approaching a time where you will gain a brother, if you have not already done so. You will need to treat him AS A brother, and not try and seduce him. Rei looked at her, realizing that she had never even seen Ranma's male form. Setsuna continued "your not the one that can heal his heart with that kind of love. You need to heal it with an open love that contains nothing more than the love of a sister. And another thing, Never EVER hit him. He is too abused already. "

Rei nodded in agreement. No can really ever argue with Pluto, that would just be a losing idea anyway.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several more fears, both his and hers they traveled through. Always working through them, and together getting past them. And they finally looked and were themselves. No more masks left. Till they came here. No fear or darkness really per say, but there was a nice house, table set up, they came in,.

"welcome Ranma, this part of your mind is OUR home" this coming from a petite, well endowed woman with long flaming red hair. She Smirked at him, twisted a little and showed a Tremendous amount of Leg…

Ranko looked over both Ranma and Skuld. She looked well If that expression was on Ranma's face she would seem Very very angry. Which is precisely what she was. Pissed.

She was a seriously pissed at almost everyone in Ranma's life ever since she was "born" the day he fell into the waters. She was one of the main focus's of the rage that built inside of him. Always treated as an annoyance or weakness when it was obvious most of the time she was just as strong as her male half. She HATED Akane. Both for how she treated Ranma and how she acted to men in general. But more than anyone else she hated Genma. Had Genma been the slightest bit supportive of her Then they would not have had any of the problems they had had over the years. Three years she had been with him seen everything through his eyes and felt every beating every insult and each part of Ranma's decent into madness. If it were up to her None of the brigade would ever lay a hand n him again. None of them were able to place him above them even for a moment.

She was also pissed at Skuld but for a new reason. She did not like Skuld's interference as they had not asked for help. But in comparison to everything else that had been going on The goddess's meddling was minor. So far at least.

Ranma looked at Ranko. She was dressed in a red Chinese dress with black twin circling dragons around it. This was a dress Shampoo would have felt right at home in. twice in the past his female self had separated but she had never looked like this. He KNEW this was wrong but even he could feel a slight pressure building in his nose just looking at her. He had been married after all he knew what all those curves she had were good for. 'Gah what am I thinking this is ME we are talking about'

"No Ranma this is US you were talking about. We are one you an I. So your thoughts about my body are no worse than say… Masturbation or something" she smirked at him.

"Gah…. Uhmmm"

"Are you sure… I mean who else knows you like I know you?" Ranko leered at him

Ranma choked again

"Just teasing Ranma. Now lets get to business. Your traveling through your mind with little miss Goddess over there and facing all of your worst fears. You muster up enough courage and beat them down like you do everything else. Same with little miss goddess there though hers seem milder compared to ours neh?"

Ranma nods at Ranko who seems to be very much in control of this situation. This is her shell world after all.

She continued "and that leads you here. To me. Making little Ole Me think that I am a worse fear to you then Cats or being beaten. Well I wont stand for it. We are better than that"

"what do you mean"

"You have no right being afraid of me. I AM you in part. And I am the ONE person in the world who has NEVER done anything to hurt you"

Ranma had long ago accepted that everything in this place was something he was afraid of. He accepted that he grew stronger by facing these fears. He could tell that. So why was he here. Why was he afraid of Ranko himself.

"I will admit that I must on some level be afraid of you but I don't know why." Skuld look at him. "maybe this is why you are hear. To figure it out. What does she do that scares you?

"Are you afraid of looking like me?"

"No you look great"

"Are you afraid of losing your fighting skills because I am not as strong?"

"no your faster than I am so we match"

"Are you afraid I am going to hurt you?"

"No you ARE me."

Well then WHAT!"

"Maybe just maybe I am afraid of liking being you. Of preferring you over me. Maybe I am afraid of losing myself in you. I guess I am afraid of being a girl because then I am not me."

Skuld looks at him for a moment "Ranma Is your father still Genma when he is a panda?"

"Yeah I know I know the lesson your trying to teach here"

"Then why is it different? You are Ranma no matter who you are"

"Because She is not me." Then he got it. He got his fear which was not that he would enjoy the female form more than his own but that he would enjoy being HER more then he ever enjoyed being him. Because being him was so painful. She did not have the fiancées really they were all Ranma's. She had an easier life than he did. He was afraid that he would take the easy way out and let her become him. "I am afraid that I would just give up and let her take over. That I would no longer be Ranma but Ranko. I am afraid she makes my death too easy". Strangely he felt calm saying all of this. It was a starting realization that in his mind he had long considered the action to let her take over and become Ranma and let himself fade into the background until his consciousness faded away completely.

Ranko walked up to Ranma and kissed him fiercely. Then she Slapped him hard across the face. "I will never let you do that to me you prick. I am ME Not you and if I find a way to be separate again I MAY take it I may not but I will damm well NOT let you make me take over your crap. " She continued "Because If I ever took over Every last one of them would pay dearly for what they have done to us. Starting with Genma and Akane." Ranma and Ranko look like they are going to fight for a moment then Ranma realizes what he is doing. "yes I guess you would .that would be your right. Just like I chose not to do it you could."

"Yeah you wimped out always afraid of hurting your friends feelings. Time to grow up Ranma. You just helped them stay the way they were never forced them to grow up." She moved in closer with a short punch to his ribs. "You enabled her you fuck wit and paid for it over and over again." He dodged and twisted a bit. Skuld was not worried she could tell that they were not trying to hurt each other and that Ranma was coming to a realization that he needed Desperately.

"You have been as bad as Ryoga blaming yourself for everyone else's problems. You take their issues as your own. You have been as delusional as Akane. You are better than that. You are better than any of them. What the hell are you feeling guilty about it for!" As she said all of this she punched him hard in the gut. "Stop feeling guilty. You don't have to feel guilty because you are better than them"

He lay there on the ground gasping for breath as she finished her assault. "I cant just beat you down huh. Your right. I AM better than this. I AM better than them."

She looks down on him and says "Good If you really follow that I wont have to kick yer ass again. Ready to get outta here yet? Or are you going to want to beat yourself up some more?"

Ranma looked at her "Beat myself up?"

She looks at him stunned that he had gotten the rest but not this part yet.

"Yeah moron the only reason any of us 'demons' are here is because you want us here. I'm wondering if you are ready to be done with us yet. Or are you still too scared to face the world out there Even with my help" Ranko replied.

"You will have mine as well Ranma. I am bound by my promise" Skuld offered.

Ranma thought a bit and saw a lot. Saw he was not the one at fault for all of it. 'Some of it sure but why should I take all of it?' He thought 'I always took the blame for my father to protect the family honor. I have always taken the blame for everything to protect someone's honor. I even took it when it was not my fault. I will from now on only accept the blame for my own actions not and protect my own honor. 'But to do that he had to wake up and face the world he was in. He had to become alive again.

"Well are you ready?" Ranko said impatiently.

"Yes. I think I am" replied Ranma, blanching at her comment. "to get out of here I mean"

"Good because my next idea was if we were hanging around here much longer I would just have to seduce you. I don't think you're ready for that…" she said with an evil laugh.

Ranma Face faults at this concept…

"Well you can't blame a girl for trying you are very cute" She replied to his face fault and her grin was the last thing he saw as his dream faded away.


	4. Hikkomi Houou part 4

Standard disclaimers. Ect

A tall, dark woman dressed conservatively, walked up to the gates of the shrine. No one was outside to greet her of course, so she took a moment to take stock of what she was feeling. Her senses reached out, and she could feel the presence of the priest, his granddaughter, and her "patient". She also felt the presence of her sister, and chuckled. She knew that Skuld would be in a mess with her assignment. She was not able to get the file of Skuld assignment from the Central office, but She WAS A goddess of love, how hard could it be to deal with one wittle bitty mortal. As usual she was in fact Dead wrong. She went into the main hall, rang the buzzer to let folks know she was there..

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rei was looking over the sleeping Ranma with some concern. 'Gods he is cute, and Damn you Setsuna for saying he is off limits' she grumbled to herself. She had been here most of the day, and a portion of the last night. Her grandfather sat next to her, watching over him and the strange girl who lay passed out next to Ranma. Grandpa Hino had moved her onto the futon, and made sure she was also as comfortable as he could. He had told her that he had no more idea who she was then she did, but he was not going to risk any offence. It was a little strange to see her grandfather acting polite to a younger female.

"Grandfather, why are you acting so strange about the girl. Do you know her" Asked Rei

"No I don't know who she is, but that spirit warned me about something and I am keeping to that warning. She may be an evil spirit, but she is also our ancestor. We must give her the respect due her." He replied.

Rei stood silently, as they watched over the couple on the futon. 'I am glad that Minako has not come over the last few days. I would have a hard time keeping her from taking "care" of Ranma', she thought. In her mind he was far better looking than any of the men she knew, even Mamaro, but there was that nagging 'Thou must not touch" from Setsuna that still bothered her. "well fine, if he NEEDS a loving sister, I will be his loving sister. Though I wonder how that little trick is going to be accomplished.' She mused.

While she was thinking these things, she heard the buzzer saying that someone was up front needing help. Rei left the room and walked up to the main entrance, and there she met a strange looking female, with white hair.

"May I help you?" asked Rei nicely.

"Yes I am Dr Woddensdaughter. A gentleman called me saying that you had someone who had passed out and you could not revive" replied Urd.

"Ohh yes, doctor, they are back here" She turned to lead Urd to the room

"Excuse me, did you say They? There is more than one?"

"Yes, a boy named Ranma, and some strange girl who has passed out also"

Urd smirked to herself. 'so little Skuld has really messed up then. I wonder what she did to pass out. Ohh well its not like its something I cant fix' she thought to herself as they walked to the room. When she got to the room however, she approached the door, but could not pass. She could sense a barrier, of some kind keeping her from entering. Rei walked in and then looked at her strangely as she did not enter the room.

Urd glared at the sleeping Skuld 'this has got to be Skuld fault' "Uhmm miss, I don't suppose you could bring them out here could you?"

"Why don't you just come in and examine them?" Rei started to get annoyed

Urd was getting seriously annoyed. She could not just say 'well there is a barrier' because that would start to beg too many questions. And what WAS this barrier anyway. She thought about it a moment, and decided to try and use force. She said ok hold on a second I forgot something, and ran back the way she came.

Rei sighed and sat next to her grandfather.

Urd went around the corner, into the main hall again, and started casting a spell for invisibility on herself. She would need to be standing there, to try and take the barrier down, and preferred not to be visible when she was casting in front of mortals. Luckily for her, this was a spell she was very good at. Soon she was not visible to the naked eye. She returned to the door of the room, and pressed against the barrier to find its exact limit. Unfortunately she did not realize this caused her to become fully visible again. She did not feel the spell go down, because it had not, it was just no longer working. Urd started attempting to cast a spell to remove the barrier. She moved her hands around in an arch and started mumbling to herself. Rei looked up at her

"Uhmm, Doctor, What are you doing?" asked Rei. Her grandfather looked up and also stared at Urd. Urd panicked as she realized she was visible.

"Uhmm I am stretching my arms" she hastily replied.

"Well it looked to me like you were trying to cast some spell or something" said the grandfather.

Urd looked at them and tried to figure out what was going on. She was unable to stay invisible, and that irritated her. She needed to get inside to examine her sister, but something was keeping her out. These guys could apparently tell what constituted a "spell". All of these particulars really bothered Urd. She decided on honesty.

She sighed and put her hands on the barrier. To Rei it looked like she was holding up her hands. Urd leaned on the barrier somewhat and said "Ok, I hate to say this but.."

At that moment, Ranma started to wake. His eyes opened, though for the moment he could not quite focus. Skuld also awoke, someone what more quickly than Ranma. Also at that moment, the barrier that Urd was learning on vanished and Urd fell flat, on her face.

Skuld looked around first. She saw that she was laying on a futon, next to Ranma. She blushed, but did not pull away. She also saw that there were a few folks looking at her. She saw Grandfather Hino, looking at her, with some signs of fear, and Rei who looked at her with confusion. She also looked towards the door, and saw struggling to get up from falling down, her older sister, Urd. Skuld could not help it, she started giggling.

There was Urd, in a business suit, trying to stand up. After the fear about her never letting Skuld grow up, this was hilarious. She looked directly at her sister.

"Hi Urd, having problems?" Asked Skuld

Urd stood up and wanted to shout at her. Instead she glared and said " Not at all. I am here to examine you and your boyfriend, since your passed out on a bed with him." Urd had decided to play back at her sister.

"No, no he is my…" Skuld was trapped. She was not supposed to say what she was and Urd almost made her out "He is not my boyfriend. We are just friends ok" She knew how lame that sounded but it was better than the alternative.

"RIIIIIGHT." Urd says. "Well, time to let Dr. Woddensdaughter examine the boy" she grinned evilly. Urd took a few steps over to Ranma, who was now fully awake, and not too hip on being examine.

"No" said Ranma.

"What do you mean 'No'" said Urd

"I do not need an examination, and I do not wish for you to do anything with me." Ranma recognized Urd from the fear of Skuld's and as of this point wanted nothing to do with her.

"I am the Doctor and I will say what you need" Urd looked at him and decided she really wanted an in-depth examination of him. He was gorgeous.

"No"

Urd pulled forward and tried perhaps the dumbest thing she could try, Sex Appeal.

Leaning forward, looking at him close, revealing everything she could in her outfit

"Please…"

Ranma looked at her, with cold eyes. "No, not now not later. Old bags are not something I want examining me."

'Old Bag!' Urd's eyes twitched. 'Ok, I will get this boys interest, I am a Love Goddess after all' She thought.

It was just too bad that her version of 'Reading a file" involved looking mostly at the pictures and ignoring the words….


	5. Hikkomi Houou part 5

**Hikkomi Houou** - part 6 who is really going to examine him

Note : Maybe I should start more stories as its only when I am writing something that I actually read my old ones enough to start adding more chapters. Bah

0000%%%%%0000

In a room, mostly trimmed in purple lining, on a purple bed lay a girl, trying hard to engross herself into a manga. She was just entering into beauty, all of 16, and pale with purple hair. She was also very frustrated, and feeling somewhat sorry for herself. All of her friends had someone to spend time with, and other than Minako, they had someone special. Well Setsuna did not really count, she had probably had more men, women and whatever else over her long life to never need anyone else. But here she was, always alone, because of her curse, and her luck. What actually had her thinking about all of this was the weekly meeting of her friends, where they all gathered together to talk about life, the universe and demons. Her name by the way was Hotaru, and she was more than anything else, feeling sorry for herself, alone and frustrated. Since she had never HAD a boy, and had no real interest in girls, her frustration was understandable. Even if she didn't understand it herself.

The meeting started normally, Usagi snuggled Mamoru, the various other girls all starting gabbing at once. Someone (generally Mokoto) would bring cupcakes, and the "meeting" would degenerate into normal girls talking about their men. Minako would talk about whomever she was doing That day, since her relationships lasted as long generally as milk in a fridge. Of all the girls there, she wanted to be there the least. She was always alone after all. The reason she attended at all is she was the "official" representative from the outer senshi. IE the other outer s really wanted nothing to do with these meetings and she was at least close to the ages of the girls who were meeting. Haruka kept telling her that she too would find someone given time, but to listen to all of them, every week just depressed her more than her general life did. This last meeting was worse than the others, because Setsuna showed up.

With no noise Setsuna appeared behind Rei, rather than Usagi this time. Rei jumped, Usagi jumped and then realized that she was not the target, and sat stunned. For years now when Setsuna arrived, she AWAYS startled the princess Usagi, but not this time. This time she chose to startle Rei. Usagi started to wonder if she was not wanted anymore. Then she looked at her Fiance, Mamoru, and decided that yes she was still wanted.

Rei looked very uncomfortable, with Setsuna jumping behind her this time. Enough other odd things had occurred yesterday, that to have Setsuna do that, just bugged her. Rei was often passionate by nature (something her exes DID enjoy about her) but that passion led to annoyance or anger very fast. If it were someone other than Setsuna, who frankly scared the daylights out of Rei, she would have pounded them.

"Ehhem", Setsuna cleared her throat. "I need to talk to you all, and have your complete attention. If this means I have to drop Mamoru into an Ice block I will". Usagi gripped Mamoru tighter, but did turn to listen to the eldest Senshi. "I will be needing one of you to help me with healing a young man very soon. The gates have not given me the best path yet, but we need to help him as he has opened up a new possibility to the gates, that we should explore. He figures very strongly in a future Tokyo that defeats the great freeze, before it happens. Billions would be saved, and I have never even saw the chance of this before." This caused quite a stir among the girls who chattered on trying to get Setsuna to answer questions. Setsuna looked at Rei and then to the rest and said "I need to examine the gates more, but I know that Everyone of you who is not the best choice to bring him to support us, will need to be there for him personally." she looked at Rei again. " He has been terribly abused by women who treated him as no more than a toy to be won in a game, or a punching bag. He will need the love of sisters, and of one woman who can show him that not all who are in love will hit first and ask questions, well, never". Most of the senshi tried to digest these words, Rei just got this dark look on her face "And he is the cutest man I have ever seen" she mumbled to herself. Setsuna looked at Rei pointedly. "was there something you wanted to add Rei?" as Setsuna glared at her.

Rei blinked, "No Setsuna, a man like that will need as much support as he can get, I am sure. I will gladly help him in anyway I can." The rest of the meeting the other senshi spent time chatting about the news laid before them. Hotaru knew in her heart however that she could never be the one for him. She was still young, and Setsuna seemed to say he needed someone who was experienced. Setsuna looked at Hotaru one last time before she left 'If you only knew daughter what your part was, you would be bouncing off of the walls already, and you have never even met him' she thought to herself. Setsuna returned to the house, needing to talk to the other outers to make sure that Haruka messed NONE of this up and they helped pave the way for Hotaru, who needed Ranma as much as he needed her.

0000%%%%%%%%%)0000

Back to yesterday.

"No" said Ranma.

"What do you mean 'No'" said Urd

"I do not need an examination, and I do not wish for you to do anything with me." Ranma recognized Urd from the fear of Skuld's and as of this point wanted nothing to do with her.

"I am the Doctor and I will say what you need" Urd looked at him and decided she really wanted an in-depth examination of him. He was gorgeous.

"No"

Urd pulled forward and tried perhaps the dumbest thing she could try, Sex Appeal.

Leaning forward, looking at him close, revealing everything she could in her outfit

"Please…"

Ranma looked at her, with cold eyes. "No, not now not later. Old bags are not something I want examining me."

'Old Bag!' Urd's eyes twitched. 'Ok, I will get this boys interest, I am a Love Goddess after all' She thought.

Skuld jumped between them "Urd, Its obvious that he does not WANT to be examined by you. Maybe something about scares him. Perhaps your sister may make a better choice here" rapidly spoke Skuld.

"Bel? Why would she make a better..." in the distance everyone heard the sound of thunder.. "Hmmm OK maybe you have a point Squ..." started Urd. Ranma looked at Urd and interrupted her very levelly. "If you call her anything disrespectful, I will cause you a great deal of pain." intoned Ranma. He stood up with this and Urd almost had a nosebleed. Ripped was not a simple expression. Nor was it enough to describe him. The was, Godlike in his looks. She should know, she had slept with enough gods over the millenium. In fact she would place him in the... At this Ranma again intterupted her train of thought

"If you have another doctor more suitable and you INSIST on an examination, you should find them. You, I never want to deal with."

Urd was highly confused and shot a glare at Skuld, trying to fathom why this boy would be so set against HER in specific. She sighed giving in to the fact that Kami himself implied it was a good idea. "Ok let me call her, my sister Belldandy, she also should be able to help you"

Skuld smiled at this and Ranma noticed her smile "that will do fine then. Skuld seems happy with it." at this comment there was the slightest hint of a blush from Skuld.

'he actually seemed to care how I felt about things' she thought to herself. 'then again, we did go though our fears together. Now I just need to get him to accept a wish'. Though somewhere in her she started to feel that maybe him NOT accepting on would be OK too.

Urd went to 'Call' Belldandy, while Skuld continued to look at her charge. He seemed almost protective of her. Like she really needed protecting. Ok maybe from Urd, but anyone else well, She was a goddess, she didn't need any... in the distance again she heard the sound of lightening. Urd sighed 'well I guess I could think of worse protectors, He WAS awful cute as a child.'

While Skuld entrained these thoughts Urd was outside finishing her spell to tell Belldandy she needed to come here. Outside she took a deep breath, and for the moment just enjoyed the shrine, and its calm. It was during this enjoyment that she felt the impending presence of a teleport, coming to the shrine. Her guard went up instantly, usually only demons would teleport anywhere. So when the green haired beauty appeared before Urd, she was shocked. No god, or demon markings, just the Key of Chronos, and what appeared to be his descendant appearing before her.

Setsuna appeared calm before Urd, but internally she was miffed. She was supposed to appear BEHIND this woman, as always, not before her while she was in a ready stance. She looked around and saw to her relief that no one else was present, so she could deal with the woman more directly.

Now Urd was goddess of the past, as Belldandy was of the present and Skuld was of the future. What she was looking at was a child of a Titan, Chronos the Titan of time to be precise. While she lacked the power in any specific area that the goddesses possessed, she did have power over all three aspects, and it was her ancestor that the Norns replaced. This was a great shock to Urd, and she was completely unaware what to do about this.

Setsuna was equally stumped. Here was a women steeped in the powers of time, of the past, yet could not effect anything else. The level of power she possessed over the past meant that she did not need Anything like the gates, yet she was limited to that sphere. Setsuna had no experience or knowledge of the Norse other than in myth. She had also felt someone with power over the future, again to her without limits.

"Daughter of Chronos,' said Urd formally " I greet you and hope that we have no quarrel with each other"

Setsuna reached back into her memories, and tried to remember. Yes she had a great great grandfather named Chronos, but for this woman to know about him she would have to be as ol... As experienced as Setsuna was.

"Forgive me for asking, but who ARE you." asked Setsuna...

0000&&&&&00000

The next day...

Hotaru was still on her bed after the rotten meeting she went to. It was 6:40 PM when Setsuna walked in on her. Hotaru was too far depressed to even bother to hide the manga, just looked up at one of her mothers.

"Ho-Chan I have a job for you. Can you help me on an errand?" Setsuna deadpanned.

Hotaru just looked her Yes the thought she would be a sister to this man, after all he must be at least Mamuros age, so why be interested in a kid like her "yes Puu-moma I will be glad to help" she just grumbled.

Setsuna looked at Hotaru with amusement. She knew how this meeting, and how the following ones would go. She did however need to inform her of her job. That also would be amusing. Setsuna was in nature a sadist, so playing this out some entertained her greatly. Setsuna took Hotaru's hand and teleported her to the 5 mound of lava Ice cream shop. This was THE ice cream shop of the senshi, and usually Hotaru came here when she was REALLY depressed.

"Was it that obvious Puu?" asked Hotaru. Setsuna eye twitched a bit. It was bad enough that Chibi-usa called her that, but when Hotaru started Rating her that, she felt like was going to scream.

"Yes Hotaru. I would like you to read a file over. This is the file of the young man I told you about. It will explain why he needs to be protected so much, and how he became what he is." Setsuna dropped a HUGE file in front of Hotaru. Around that time the 5 layer Fudge Sunday appeared in front of Hotaru. It turned out that she needed the ice cream and 4 more besides it to not just teleport out and kill Genma, Akane, Nodoka, hell anyone who EVER had harmed this man. She saw things that made her cry at time, made her laugh at others, and made her in awe at his power other times. It was when she got to the "killed the god Saffron" that she looked at Setsuna and almost said Bullshit. Setsuna cut her off however. "it IS true he is that powerful, and every woman he has EVERY met has tried to use him as her personal toy and punching bag.. that is why I need the senshi to treat him as sisters and offer him love without attachments. Its also why I need you..."

"Me?" Hotaru squeaked.

Yes you Ho-chan. You have something he really need right now, love that Is unconditional. Someone who does not bring up his defense someone specifically like you dear."

hotaru re looked at the picture. And smiled while her internal sense jumped with glee. 'maybe she WILL get boyfriend after all

Z


	6. Hikkomi Houou part 6

**Hikkomi****Houou** – Part 7 A new doctor, new friends and an OOOLD enemy

In the darkest part of space, lay a woman. A being of night, and the cause of many wars, between the great powers. She has been asleep since long before the moon kingdom arose, and hopefully would have remaind asleep long after Crystal Tokyo was dust. She was a force that could defeat the ultimate force, if she wished, and soon she would awaken fully and call her children back to her from the grave. She was The mother of all, the Silence itself. She was End of everything, be it living, dead or immortal. Slowly, in this deep recess, she was starting to awaken. She was Nyx.

0000&&&&&&00000

Belldandy had gotten Urd's request and while she thought it was somewhat odd, she of course agreed to go and help her sisters. As she started to get ready to teleport there, another phone call came to her, this time from Heaven. After pleasantries with Peorth, she was asked to review a file before arriving. Belldandy looked at the file, and sighed. "Kei-kun, can you give me a ride to Juuban? I need to help my sisters." Kei-kun loved spending time with his girlfriend so of course went to prepare his bike. 'good that should give me time to read this, while we travel, and its a lovely day to be driving with Kei-kun' she thought

0000&&&&0000

Rei looked somewhat dejected as she saw Setsuna show up with Hotaru of all people. 'Still' she thought to herself "Hotaru is probably in as much need as he is." She sighed to herself, thinking of how it must be to have him... And noticed her grandfather was watching her with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. She instantly blushed a deep red, and excused herself to go clean the great hall. 'that girl had better not doom us all in this mess', her grandfather thought to himself.

Setsuna, Hotaru and Skuld sat together talking to Ranma. Ranma was at first very cautious around the two new girls, but a few things set his mind at more ease than he had been before. First Skuld vouched for them. (and in his mind Ranko vouched to him rather strongly in favor of the young girl with purple eyes, as someone he should get to know) 2nd One of the FIRST things Setsuna said to him, was to inform him that neither of them, nor any of their friends were in any way, shape or form his fiancees. Apparently they knew already about Genma and his issues , as well as he suspected his curse. What synched it was when Skuld almost dropped her glass of ice tea on him and Hotaru dove under it, pushing Ranma down, protecting him from the water. This was a first for him, someone actually trying to protect him. Hotaru immediately blushed, and apologized for knocking him over, she just did not want him to feel uncomfortable. In his mind, he heard Ranko tell him "I told you so, Nice girl, play nice with her". He did wonder about Ranko's comments, but if she and Skuld vouched for them, he should listen.

It was a nice calm afternoon spent with them, with Urd only occasionally trying to sit with them, and Ranma ignoring her completely when she did. Eventually she just left to go sit on the stairs and wait for her sister to arrive.

Urd was miserable about this situation. For some reason, a perfectly wonderful boy, with a healthy libido, who she had never done anything too, hated her strongly. He was apparently completely immune to her charms, in favor of her younger sister. Even her powers and the "goddess of love" did not seem to have any effect on him. There was little in life that would have confused her more than this. If she had read the file, rather than get lost in the pictures of Ranma fighting, and misinterpreting the scenes with Ranma and his many fiancees, she would have know Why her charms failed. To Ranma, she very easily could have represented to him the worst of the parts of him life from before. She never read the file, though and would not understand what was going on until she returned to heaven, and Peorth explained it to her in small words. Either way this was not a happy time for Urd.

000000&&&&&&000000

In Nerma, Kasumi and Nodoka stood side by side chopping vegetables together to prepare for tonight's dinner. Things had calmed down drastically since Akane's and Ranma's departure. Peaceful was now the norm, as the various girls left, the amazons returned to china and even the Kuno's started on court mandated psychiatric care. All was at peace. Nodoka loved cooking with Kasumi. She had started to think prior to Ranma's departure that Kasumi would have made him a much better bride, but they upped and eloped one day. She hoped her son was happy where he was, and not still being accused of things by his new wife. In the midst of these preparations, there was a knock on the door. A messenger was there with a letter for Ranma, from the Australian court system. Fearing something was wrong, Nodoka opened the letter and read its contents. As she read through it several tears descended to the paper she read. Kasumi noticing the tears came to her to ask what was wrong. Nodoka just dropped the letter and started crying into Kasumi's shoulder. Nabiki picked the letter up, read it herself and turned to her father (who was playing Shogi). "Daddy, apparently Akane's lawyer is demanding the Dojo be sold and the money be sent to her as part of her divorce award" Both Genma and Soun faces went white. The only word they could think between them was "divorce?".

00000&&&&&00000

As the woman started to feel the edges of her being, much closer to home, a hand, buried in rubble for millennia, opened and closed. Ephialtes was awakening, hearing his grandmothers call, and would soon begin his war on the gods again. The giants would be the first to be reborn.

000000&&&&&&&&&&&00000000

In heaven, Peorth sat at her desk, and watched her screens. Behind her sat an old terminal. Not covered in dust of course but on that had not been used since the new system, _Yggdrasil_, had been put in place. In truth from the layout it actually predated that system, hailing all the way back to the Pools of Delphi system, the earliest computer matrix that was used to control creation. Peorth was still watching Skuld's first major assignment, and seeing how the ultimate force was going to enforce her Promise to Ranma when a soft sound started behind her. A gentle beep, like an alarm, but quiet, unassuming. Peorth scanned all of her screens, moving one past another, and the quiet little alarm persisted, but for the life of her she could not see any of her screens where any alarms were present. Peorth was very frustrated by this. 'Where is this beeping coming from' She thought. It was about this time that Ere entered her office.

"Supervisor Peorth, Have you seen this odd alarm that appears to be ringing through out all of our"... Ere went silent for a moment. "Supervisor, I seem to have found the source of the alarm". Peorth turned around to look at Ere, and then at the Old terminal beside her. There, flashing on the screen was a warning.

_"ALARM– Giant moving through Gaea. Probable Giant Ephialtes – ALARM Classified as waring against the immortals, and very Dangerous – ALARM"_

"oh no" Peorth said aloud. She rushed to the office where Kami-sama resided...

Far below heaven, Hild sat at her control screen of Nidhogg. As Daimakaicho she is the only one who has total access to it, and its predecessors. Clearly on her terminal an old screen popped up an alarm

**"ALARM – Giant moving though Gaea - probable Giant Ephialtes – ALARM Classified as waring against the immortals, and very Dangerous – ALARM**"

Hild blinked as she looked at this. Her terminal then brought up all of the information on Ephialtes, how and what he was. She turned pale, thinking of the doublet system and what he would do to her forces, if he was allowed to assault Heaven. Then her "helpful"? Terminal popped up with the message.

**"Warning – Giants at war attack Tartarus as well as Olympus – Under orders to exterminate all immortals. Prime target, Hades - Warning"**

Hild looked at her system, and then saw at the top of the oldest screen, the one that prompted the alarm, that her log in name was Hades.

"ohh this will NOT do. MALLER!, GET IN HERE!"

00000&&&&&&&000000

Ranma was enjoying himself for the first time in along time. Perhaps truly the first time ever. He had many times of solitude to deal with his problems, and my times of sympathy from Kasumi, even times of debauchery in a sense when he scammed ice creak as Ranko. He just would not remember any time that he was more relaxed, and calm than with these 4 women. Setsuna and Rei were very nice to him, and neither seemed to have that "mine" look in their eye. Skuld was, well, Skuld, and while he could see why she was a goddess, he didn't really have this strong attraction to her. What DID surprise him was the laughing younger girl, Hotaru, who while she laughed with them, also seemed to bear this weight on her, that she was not good at hiding. That weight seemed familiar to him, the weight of everyone around you, needing you, and the fear of being tossed aside once you are done being useful. That was his life, for so long, it drew him to her, almost protectively. She also was the one to save him from Skuld's tea, and he could not come up with any other reason for her to do that, then she already knew about his curse, and was OK with it. That she knew somehow. He examined her closely as he had these thoughts, until he realized that he was looking directly in her purple eyes, and had been for a few moments. Rei sniggered, and they both looked away, blushing.

'Busted' thought Rei. 'Yeah maybe Setsuna is right on this. Maybe none of the rest of us ever really had a chance anyway. Ill have to see if I can help. Somehow'

Hotaru excused herself right after being caught claiming she needed to visit the powder room, and Rei got up to join her. This was NOT what Hotaru had in mind, she wanted to bury her head in embarrassment, not be made fun of by the Senshi of Fire. As they entered the bathroom, Rei closed the door and turned to Hotaru. "Ho-chan, I may have something to help you trapping him"

Hotaru blushed VERY brightly. "Trap? I don't know what you mean".

"Yeah right Dear. Anyway, have these, I will bet from listening to him, about his life this would be a new experience for him. I also will bet that if YOU ask him he may actually go." in Rei's hands were her two prized tickets to the Tsukiko Amano concert next week. Rei had worked a part time job for a month just to afford them. Even if she had not found a date, she would have taken Ami, or Mokoto, as they were all big fans of Amano. Internally Rei sighed about offering them up, but, IF it helped her Senshi sister, and according to Setsuna, her new brother, it was worth it. "Take them, and him and have a good time for me. You could even take him to our favorite ice cream shop." Rei smiled at Hotaru, and pushed the tickets into her hands.

Rei returned to the table first, and reentered the conversation. Setsuna had a very good idea what had happened in the bathroom, and smiled at Rei, getting her attention, just so she could nod in approval. For that moment Rei felt much better about giving up the ticket, and any chance at Ranma herself. She would later regret that of course, some of the time, but inside she knew it was the right thing to do.

Hotaru returned and continued the conversation. Around this time two things happened. Setsuna stood up and said it was time for them to go home, thanking Rei and Ranma for hosting them so well, And a motorcycle with a boy and woman pulled up. Rei took a hard look at Hotaru, as she was walking off. Hotaru took a big breath and turned around

"Ranma, I know your new here and all, but I was wo...wondering.. If, " another Deep breath " ?" If you mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ?" (1)

She took another deep breath, and looked up at him. Ranma could see the fear of rejection in her eyes, and knew that feeling all to well. He just for the life of him could not figure out what she had just said, it was too run together one big long word that had some meaning, and embarrassed Hotaru.

"Hotaru, I know you asked me a question but could you repeat it, it all ran together and I didn't get what you asked" replied Ranma

Hotaru took a deeper slower breath. "Could yo go with me to a concert next Friday, I have a couple of tickets and wanted to offer one to you" She looked at the ground not even able to look at him this time.

"Well, I have never been to a concert. Can we get ice cream on the way? I KNOW ice cream, and would love a good serving of that" Ranma almost starting drooling at the idea of getting free ice cream again.

Hotaru smiled excitedly, nodding her head. Ranma just thought to himself, 'Wow, she sure is cute when she smiles"

For some reason FF will not let me write a really long run on question. She is asking if he will go to the concert with her next friday, as oneword, but when I try and type it, FF just deletes the word. Grrr


End file.
